Eyokuqala KaSamuweli 26:1-25
26 Ekuhambeni kwexesha abantu baseZifi+ baya kuSawule eGibheya,+ bathi: “UDavide akazimelanga na endulini kaHakila ejongene neYeshimon?”*+
2 Ngoko wesuka uSawule wehla waya kwintlango yeZifi, ehamba namadoda anyuliweyo akwaSirayeli ayi-3 000, beyokukhangela uDavide kuloo ntlambo.+
3 USawule wamisa inkampu kwinduli kaHakila, ejongene neYeshimon, ngasendleleni. UDavide wayehlala entlango ngelo xesha, yaye weva ukuba uSawule umlandele weza entlango.
4 Ngoko uDavide wathumela iintlola ukuba ziyokuqinisekisa ukuba uzile nyhani na uSawule.
5 Ethubeni, uDavide waya kulaa ndawo uSawule wayemise kuyo inkampu. Wayibona indawo awayelele kuyo uSawule, noAbhinere+ unyana kaNere, intloko yomkhosi wakhe. USawule wayelele enkampini, amajoni emise iintente, emngqongile.
6 Emva koko wathi uDavide kuAhimeleki umHiti+ noAbhishayi+ unyana kaTseruya,+ umntakwabo Yowabhi: “Ngubani oza kuhla nam siye enkampini kuSawule?” UAbhishayi wathi: “Ndiza kuhla nawe.”
7 Ngoko uDavide noAbhishayi baya emajonini ebusuku, yaye bafika uSawule elele enkampini. Umkhonto wakhe wawugxunyekwe emhlabeni ngakwintloko yakhe, yena uAbhinere namajoni belele yaye bemngqongile.
8 Wathi uAbhishayi kuDavide: “Namhlanje uThixo ulunikele esandleni sakho utshaba lwakho.+ Ndiyakucela, khawundivumele ndimdibanise nomhlaba ngomkhonto kube kanye nje, akuzukubakho mfuneko yokuba ndimphinde.”
9 Noko ke, uDavide wathi kuAbhishayi: “Sukumenzakalisa, kuba ngubani onokuphakamisa isandla kumntu uYehova amkhethileyo+ aze ahlale emsulwa?”+
10 UDavide waphinda wathi: “Ephila nje uYehova, yena uYehova ngokwakhe uza kumxabela,+ okanye afe ngenye emini+ njengamntu wonke, okanye uza kuya edabini aze atshabalale.+
11 Andiyicingi nokuyicinga eyokuba uYehova angathanda ukuba ndimse isandla umntu amkhethileyo uYehova!+ Ngoko ke, khawuthathe lo mkhonto osecaleni kwentloko yakhe nejagi yamanzi, size sihambe.”
12 UDavide wawuthatha umkhonto nejagi yamanzi ecaleni kwentloko kaSawule, baza bemka. Akukho kwamntu owababhaqayo,+ okanye owababonayo okanye owavukayo, kuba bonke babelele, ngenxa yokuba uYehova wayebenze balala yoyi.
13 Emva koko uDavide wawelela kwelinye icala, wamela kude phezu kwentaba, kude kakhulu kubo.
14 UDavide wakhwaza amajoni noAbhinere+ unyana kaNere, esithi: “Abhinere, awuzukusabela na?” Waphendula uAbhinere wathi: “Ungubani wena ukhwaza ukumkani?”
15 UDavide wathi kuAbhinere: “Awuyondoda na? Ngubani onjengawe kwaSirayeli? Kutheni ke ungayigadanga inkosi yakho ukumkani? Kuba kufike elinye ijoni lize kuyicima igama inkosi yakho ukumkani.+
16 Ayilunganga le nto uyenzileyo. Ephila nje uYehova, nifanelwe kukufa, kuba khange niyigade inkosi yenu, umntu amkhethileyo uYehova.+ Khawulaqaze! Uphi umkhonto kakumkani nejagi yamanzi+ ebisecaleni kwentloko yakhe?”
17 USawule weva ukuba lilizwi likaDavide eli, waza wathi: “Lilizwi lakho elo Davide nyana wam?”+ UDavide wathi: “Lilizwi lam, nkosi yam kumkani.”
18 Waphinda wathi: “Kutheni na inkosi yam ileqa umkhonzi wayo?+ Ndenze ntoni, yaye lithini ityala lam?+
19 Inkosi yam ukumkani mayincede imamele amazwi omkhonzi wayo: Ukuba nguYehova othe ndileqe, makamkele umnikelo* wam weenkozo. Kodwa ukuba ngabantu,+ baqalekisiwe nguYehova, kuba bandigxothile namhlanje ukuze ndinganamatheli kwilifa likaYehova,+ besithi, ‘Hamba, uyokukhonza abanye oothixo!’
20 Ngoku ke, sukuliyeka lichitheke emhlabeni igazi lam, kude noYehova, kuba ukumkani wakwaSirayeli uphumile esiya kukhangela intakumba nje enye,+ ngokungathi uleqa isakhwatsha ezintabeni.”
21 USawule wathi: “Ndonile.+ Buya Davide nyana wam, kuba andizukuphinda ndikwenzakalise, ngenxa yokuba namhlanje uye wabubona buxabisekile ubomi bam.*+ Ndiyavuma, ndenze ubudenge yaye ndenze enkulu yona impazamo.”
22 UDavide wathi: “Nanku umkhonto kakumkani. Makuwele omnye wabafana azokuwuthatha.
23 NguYehova oza kubuyekeza ngamnye ngobulungisa bakhe+ nokuthembeka kwakhe, kuba uYehova namhlanje ebekunikele esandleni sam, kodwa mna andavuma ukusa isandla kumntu amkhethileyo uYehova.+
24 Jonga! Njengokuba ndiye ndabuxabisa ubomi bakho* namhlanje, kwanga nobam ubomi bungaxabiseka* emehlweni kaYehova, yaye kwanga angandisindisa kubo bonke ubunzima.”+
25 USawule wathi kuDavide: “Kwanga ungasikelelwa Davide nyana wam. Ngokuqinisekileyo uza kwenza izinto ezinkulu yaye uza kuphumelela nakanjani.”+ Wahamba ke uDavide, yena uSawule wagoduka.+
Umbhalo osemazantsi
^ Okanye kusenokwenzeka, “nentlango.”
^ Ngokoqobo, “makeve ivumba lomnikelo.”
^ Okanye “wawubona uxabisekile umphefumlo wam.”
^ Okanye “ndawuxabisa umphefumlo wakho.”
^ Okanye “nowam umphefumlo ungaxabiseka.”
